Maria Martin: Pick of the Week [ed. Terence Winch]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Year of the Rat

 

The evenings came and went, but I did not.

I didn’t have what I needed. I needed air

in my tires. I needed to go to the store.

I didn’t have enough money. I ate sleeves

of saltines dripped with hot sauce.

I ate a potato microwaved with cheese.

The dishes all piled up like a sidewalk

memorial. I didn’t like to walk past them.

It was another warm winter. Squirrels gathered.

The mailbox received. Ivy lurched 

into the sidewalk toilfully, but I did not. 

And every day was another day I didn’t do it. 

Daylight receded like a bad dream.

The one where your teeth fall out

like twisted kernels of corn

and you wake up ashamed

and glad you are alone.

I couldn’t open my mail. 

Stacks of envelopes with cellophane panes. 

Who told them my name?

I was a rat and I lived like a rat. 

I slept on old laundry. I ate what I found. 

My torso covered over with dry, red scales.

I was afraid I’d be discovered. 

I avoided bright open spaces. 

I avoided ammonia. I was afraid

someone was coming for me,

but then they didn’t.

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Maria Martin is a poet living in North Charleston, SC where she works for the city coordinating arts enrichment programs for public schools. Her poems have appeared in Poet Lore, Diagram, Pleiades, and elsewhere.

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                                                                             Girl with dirty dishes, A.I. image

Comments

[Beth Joselow]

Whew! The dishes all piled up like a sidewalk memorial— that’s the brilliant signal line for me in this poem as etching.

[Grace Cavalieri]

poems of disclosure are the bravest and best

[Cindy Hochman]

What an amazingly poignant and well-crafted poem, Maria. The short, terse lines are perfect for conveying the ennui and neglect. Like Beth's comment above, the metaphor of dishes piled up like a sidewalk memorial jumped out at me, as did so many other lines. The details here, especially of the foods that were consumed, are stark, vivid, and heartbreaking. You did a great job of striking the right tone throughout the poem, and I should also point out that the title of the poem is so appropriate to the contents. Thank you for sharing this sad but beautiful poem, Maria, and thank you, Terence for posting it. (And, as always, the artwork is stunning and makes a great complement to a great poem.)

[Terence Winch]

Cindy---thanks for your comment.

[Bill Nevins]

We fellow procrastinators all applaud this line, our postponed motto:
"And every day was another day I didn’t do it. "
Brilliant revelatory poem, and sure now, I can relate!
Thanks!

[lally]

judging from the comments,, a lot of us know what this kind of giving in to giving up feels like, i sure do, but how many of us can express that loss of control with such control (the line breaks alone), brilliant is the word fo[r sure (and mage).

[Camela]

I didn’t tell them your name! But now they will know it. <3

[Jose Padua]

❤️❤️ this

[Victoria]

The finality of the last line — a goner!

[Don Berger]

My goodness what a narrative this is, turning in the closing lines into a kind of surprising horror while in the early phases staying so amazingly attentive to basics, in a steady remarkably clear stream. I read this and immediately read it two more times, wondering how Maria had managed to make something so striking. I still don't know, which makes the poem ever more compelling. Terence I'm so glad you found this one for us, and Maria, I'm thrilled that I got to find your poem here and will definitely look for more you've written. I try writing the kind of "matter-of-fact" narrative that this poem is for the first three quarters or so. I can learn from what you've done here! Remarkable poem!

[Ricks]

So much of this beautiful poem feels like a memory from my own life. Thank you for sharing!

[Martin Stannard]

I really like this.

I used to have that dream where your teeth fall out, then someone told me what it means. I haven't had it since . . .

[Susan Finch Stevens]

Brava, Maria! I've been a fan for years. Now I'll have lots of company.

[Terence Winch]

Great comment---thanks, Don

[Eileen Reich]

Strong and revealing poem. I love it and can definitely relate to it.

[Nin]

Love this poem! Really captures a certain kind of despair/ ennui. I am so looking forward to reading more by this poet. Thanks for posting another brilliant poem, Terrence.

[Terence Winch]

Nin: Thanks for that comment.

[Rob Billingsley]

Iambic Pentameter Impressionism...

[susan campbell]

Nice poem. Creepy image.